California girl struck by flying cellphone on Six Flags roller coaster, family says

VALENCIA, Calif. — A California girl is recovering from injuries after a flying cellphone struck her face while she was riding a roller coaster, her family said.

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According to KABC-TV and KNBC-TV, the incident occurred during the Fourth of July holiday weekend at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia. Evie Evans, 8, of Riverside, was riding the Twisted Colossus when a loose cellphone hit her forehead, her mother, Della White, told the news outlets.

“She hid her face for a minute, and I said, ‘Let me see,’ but it was hard to do on the roller coaster,” White told KABC. “And as soon as she moved her hand, she was just covered in blood.”

After the family was safely back on the ground, other ridegoers helped clean Evie’s wound with baby wipes until emergency crews arrived, White told the news outlets.

Witnesses who had been sitting a few rows away from the family told White that they saw the phone come loose from another rider’s hand, White told KNBC. Those witnesses caught the phone after it struck Evie, White said.

Evie’s 13-year-old sister, Eden, added that a man approached the family, saying he was searching for his phone, the news outlets reported. She recalled him saying, “Stop freaking out. It’s not a big deal,” before walking away, KABC reported.

Evie received a CT scan and stitches at a nearby hospital, according to the news outlets.

Later, the girls’ father, Josh Evans, returned to the park seeking an incident report and information about the person who had been holding the cellphone, KABC reported. He said workers declined to provide either, saying the report was for the park’s internal use, according to the TV station.

In a statement, the park said its “ride safety policy strictly prohibits all loose articles on rides,” KABC reported.

“Safety is a partnership between our guests and the park, and guests must follow all written and verbal instructions for safe riding,” the statement continued. “Our park safety team has already responded to this guest’s request for information.”

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